The process of subduing the earth-based spirit puppets unfolded smoothly, far exceeding Xuanyin's expectations. He had initially believed he found not even a trace of spiritual imprints within their bodies. This situation left him quite puzzled—perhaps the endless years had worn down the spiritual imprints, or perhaps the ancient, battle-staged master who created these puppets simply lacked interest in them, even choosing not to leave a single trace of his soul. Regardless of the reason, when Xuanyin's soul energy penetrated the bodies of these earth-based puppets, he discovered that he had effortlessly established a connection with them. The process was seamless and required no difficulty at all—indeed, anyone else attempting it could immediately take control of them. Thus, after incorporating these puppets into his Na Ji, Xiao Yan's face took on an unusually strange expression. He glanced at the gray-robed elder who had previously been knocked back, bleeding from the mouth, and silently mused—wouldn't this old man be utterly stunned, perhaps even spew out another mouthful of blood, if he knew just how simple the process really was? "Indeed, this young man has actually managed to subdue those puppets." As Xiao Yan pondered this odd thought, the crowd on the plaza stared at him in quiet amazement. Just a few minutes ago, ten puppets of peak Douzong rank—each capable of standing against a two-star Douzun individually, and even together able to challenge a two-star Douzun—had been effortlessly captured by Xiao Yan. The crowd's expressions now turned vibrant with astonishment, their eyes brimming with admiration and envy. A single puppet of two-star Douzun strength, placed anywhere, would already be enough to draw envy from many. Among these, particularly those with grievances against Xiao Yan—such as Lei Zun and Binghe Zun—felt both envious and resolute. The stronger the strength of those around Xiao Yan, the greater the threat they posed. Xiao Yan merely glanced at their disapproving stares and then turned away. Though they might find him unsatisfactory, they dared not confront him here and now. Their objective was the heavenly-tier combat techniques within the ruins; until they secured those, they would hesitate to engage in fierce competition with Xiao Yan and his companions. Upon seeing the stone gate opening, Xiao Yan moved lightly, drifting back and then returning to his original position. Upon witnessing this maneuver, many people couldn't help but draw their brows and silently cursed the cunning youngster—clearly, Xiao Yan had no intention of being the first to enter this mysterious sanctuary. As the great gate finally settled into place, the creaking sound gradually ceased. Amidst the quiet exchange of glances among the crowd on the plaza, no one dared to be the first to step inside. As for the quiet of the plaza, Xiao Yan paid it no mind, his fingers tracing the jade bracelet, a bright smile playing on his lips. He hadn't expected to receive such treasures even just upon entering the relic site—this was truly a great fortune. From time to time, stronger cultivators arrived from outside, clearly all those who had uncovered the secrets of the Fire Path. As more and more such cultivators gathered, the earlier arrivals and their affiliated factions grew increasingly restless, and eventually, one by one, they couldn't contain themselves and stepped forward, slowly entering the stone gate. Fortunately, no cries of distress echoed through the gate. Seeing that the leading figure had encountered no difficulties, the crowd breathed a collective sigh of relief. "Let's go," Xiao Yan said with a gentle smile, giving a low command. With a firm footstep on the ground, his form transformed into a streak of shadow, darting swiftly toward the relic site beyond the gate. Following closely behind were Xiao Yixian and the others. "Such a cunning one!" As soon as Xiang Yan saw that there was no danger, he immediately set off. Many others silently cursed under their breath and then swiftly enhanced their speed, surging forward like a flood, roaring into the grand hall. Xiang Yan and his companions arrived swiftly—within a blink they had passed through the stone arch—and then slowed down, eyes wide with astonishment at the scene before them. Before them stood a colossal hall, so immense that even standing within it, they seemed remarkably small. Surveying the surroundings, they noticed numerous deep corridors extending in all directions, their exact endpoints unclear. Already, various factions and powerful individuals who had rushed in began dispersing, moving in batches toward the inner corridors. "Zi Yan, can you feel it?" Staring at these endless corridors, Xiao Yan furrowed his brows and turned to Zi Yan, asking, "This is just the entrance to the great hall. Inside, things will surely be even more complex. If we wander aimlessly, we'll surely have a hard time finding our way." "I can detect a faint scent of herbs, though it's quite hazy," Zi Yan drew a breath, saying. "Let's follow." Xiao Yan was pleased and quickly replied. "Yes." Zi Yan nodded, slightly adjusting her direction, and then darted toward a corridor to the left of the hall. Xiao Yan and the others hurried to follow. The corridors of the great hall were exceptionally wide, and as they flew through them, they moved like several small birds. Along the way, they could see other strong contenders coming to search for treasures, though fortunately, none of them approached to disturb them. Along the sides of these corridors, there are occasionally some attic rooms, and at times, large groups of people surge in like bandits, digging through them thoroughly, searching for treasures. Though their actions are rather rough, some fortunate individuals do manage to find techniques and combat skills—though these are generally of only modest rank, with the highest reaching only the Earth Stage. Even so, those who succeed in obtaining such treasures attract considerable attention. As Xiao Yan and his companions followed the scent of medicinal herbs, they occasionally stumbled upon several attic rooms, yet found little of value—seeming to indicate that the true treasures were not located there. Seeing that these attic rooms offered little reward, Xiao Yan and his party grew more cautious, focusing entirely on following Zi Yan’s lead. After flying through the corridor for nearly fifteen minutes, Zi Yan finally began to slow down and halt at the forefront. As Xu Yan stopped, the gaze of Xiao Yan and the others instantly shifted toward the front, where an extremely ancient stone gate stood. Thick mosses had climbed up the stone, glowing with a deep, serene green hue, evoking the passage of time. "Here, the medicinal aroma is the strongest—this must be where the herbs are stored. I wonder if, after all these years, they might have deteriorated." Xu Yan pointed to the stone gate. "It probably won't have. A Supreme Battle Champion has numerous methods to preserve herbs indefinitely." Xiao Yan shook his head, then stepped forward cautiously. After carefully inspecting the gate and finding no traps or mechanisms, he pushed it open with strength. "Roar—roar—roar!" With a deep, resonant sound, the heavy stone gate, covered in moss, slowly swung open, releasing a rich, potent mist of medicinal fragrance that had been sealed for countless years—immediately invigorating everyone present. Smelling this fragrance, a gleam of joy passed through Xiao Yan's eyes, and he increased his pressure, finally fully pushing open the stone gate. At the very moment the gate opened, a brilliant, dazzling light erupted from within, blinding Xiao Yan and his companions, who quickly narrowed their eyes and stepped back two paces. Their inner combat energy surged and began to circulate, ready to respond to any sudden developments. As the light gradually dimmed, their eyes reopened, and all of them took a deep, refreshing breath. Beyond the gate lay not the stone chamber they had expected, but a forest—an ancient forest entirely composed of various rare herbs! "Damn it," Bear Zhan said, gazing at the abundant, rare herbs that were scarcely seen outside, his face filled with astonishment. "Compared to these, the herbs from my ten-thousand-herb mountain are practically nothing—just scraps!" "Hmm…" Xiao Yan was also deeply shaken by this ancient forest entirely constructed from rare herbs, taking several moments to regain his composure before swiftly drawing everyone in and closing the stone door. Though he knew this wouldn't make much difference to the raiders, it would still cause some of them to lose their focus—such an overwhelming store of medicinal herbs would be utterly irresistible to many factions. "Wow, this is truly a wonderful place!" Zi Yan's eyes were now sparkling with countless little stars. She wiped her mouth and, finally unable to contain herself, leapt forward, diving into a cluster of energy-rich lingzhi mushrooms and immediately stuffing them into her mouth. These herbs, having grown over countless years, possessed an exceptionally potent energy that greatly benefited Zi Yan. Although the flavor hadn't been refined by Xiao Yan and was slightly less appealing, the abundant energy effectively masked the taste shortcomings. Seeing her actions, Xiao Yan and the others were at a loss for words, laughing and sighing. With a glance around, he forcibly restrained the urge to transfer all the herbs in this forest into his storage relic, then raised his hand and headed toward the deeper parts of the forest—now wasn’t the time to take his leisure and pack up every herb meticulously. "Let’s go—first, let’s find the Spirit Infant Fruit!" The others nodded in agreement, gently pulling the stubborn Zi Yan, who had been lingering over the pile of herbs, and followed Xiao Yan into the ancient forest.